The Orlando Magic collapsed completely in the final quarter against the Atlanta Hawks and suffered their first defeat of the season. Even another strong performance from Franz Wagner couldn’t change that.
Orlando played another really strong game for three quarters. The offense ran well, the ball was moved around nicely, and the defense kept the newly formed Hawks well in check. The first quarter was evenly matched, but then the Magic took control and steadily pulled away, leading by 12 points at the start of the final quarter. But then memories of last season came flooding back.
Suddenly, the offense completely stalled. Atlanta noticeably increased its defensive intensity and caused one Magic turnover after another (10 in total in the second half). In addition, they were suddenly on point offensively and went on a 15-0 run that put them ahead in the middle of the final quarter. Meanwhile, not much was happening for the Magic. The three stars, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, and Desmond Bane, combined to shoot 4/15 from the field and 0/5 from beyond the arc in the final quarter.
It was Wendell Carter Jr. who kept the team in the game with his free throws, tying the score from the charity stripe with 54 seconds left on the clock. However, it was also Carter Jr. who fouled Trae Young on the decisive possession and sent him to the line, where the guard scored twice. Orlando still had 21 seconds to win the game or send it into overtime, but Banchero took a completely rushed fadeaway three-pointer that clearly missed and sealed the deal.
Orlando Magic: Pale Banchero, strong da Silva
Overall, Banchero had a pretty rough night, finishing with a meager 11 points (4/15 FG) and six rebounds. Franz Wagner, on the other hand, was once again his team’s best player with 27 points and good field goal percentages (10/17 FG, 2/5 three-pointers). He also grabbed six rebounds. Bane and sophomore Tristan da Silva contributed another 15 points, with the German adding six rebounds, three assists, and three steals and having the best plus-minus on his team (+8).
Young was the Hawks’ top scorer with 25 points (7/18 FG), followed by Nickeil Alexander-Walker (19) and Onyeka Okongwu (17). Big man Mouhamed Gueye also had a strong game, contributing 13 points, eight rebounds, and three assists off the bench. New signing Kristaps Porzingis missed the game with a cold. However, the Magic have the chance to make up for the defeat tonight when they host the Chicago Bulls at the Kia Center. The Hawks are also back in action, but they face the reigning champions from Oklahoma.